Megan Bert, Founder & Head Coach

Megan is the Founder, Owner and Head Coach of BoiseBits Kids Run Club in Boise, Idaho, as well as the Wilmington Chapter in North Carolina. She is also the proud mom to her active 7-year-old son and wife to her husband of 10 years. A former California middle & high school biology, chemistry and physics teacher of 15 years, she holds her undergraduate degree from Vanderbilt University, a Master's in Education, and is a Cornell certified plant-based nutrition health educator.  Growing up she was ALWAYS participating in sports.  In high school, she was on the Varsity Cross Country, Softball and Tennis teams and ultimately, focused on running while in college.  Now, in her free time, she enjoys hiking, skiing, stand-up paddle boarding and is an avid peloton cyclist. Megan finds joy in being active & outdoors working with kids and helping them discover MIND over matter and the power of "I Can!" through running.

Megan is a strong believer of movement having a significant impact on the mind, body, and soul. Through BoiseBits, she utilizes her passion for fitness and belief in positive mindset to inspire the youngest of minds.  Megan strives to teach kids to be curious in all they can do and not to aim for perfection, but to simply give it our all.  She says that every single day we have an opportunity to shine and believes in "you vs. you" in all things in life. Her favorite quote is "Whether you think you can, or you think you can't, you are right" - Henry Ford

Please contact Megan if you would like to learn more about BoiseBits! She makes herself readily available to explain all of the wonderful benefits of the enrichment program and loves to assist families in any way she can.  And don't forget to visit our FAQ page for answers to any other questions you may have!

Willie Wright, Run Club Coach

Willie was born and raised in Utah, moving to Boise in 2009 after serving in the Marine Corps for 4 years. In 2015, he received his undergraduate degree from Brigham Young University and now works as a corporate tax accountant for a veterinary supply company. An avid outdoorsman, Willie loves all that Idaho has to offer, from hunting and fishing to whitewater rafting, mountain biking, and of course, running! He strives to share these outdoor passions with his active 3-year old daughter.

Willie has competed in several races ranging from 5ks to full marathons but considers the ½ marathon his favorite. In addition to running, Willie also practices active strength training and yoga to maintain full body AND mental fitness. A firm believer in the mind-body connection, Willie believes in the power of exercise and its ability to improve not just our physical health, but also our mental and emotional health. Helping children "get out there!" and discover the joy in physical activity is a true passion point of his.

An advocate for a strong mindset and believing in the power of "I CAN!", Willie looks forward to sharing his love of exercise and his belief that if you’re willing to put in the time and hard work, your potential is limitless. He wants to teach kids that its never about being perfect but about doing your best! His favorite quote is "The single greatest asset you will ever invest in is yourself!" - Sean Whalen

Mike Bernatz, Run Club Coach

Originally the midwest, Mike and his family moved to Idaho in 2022 from Singapore after 9 years of living and working in Asia.  Mike and his wife have been married for ten years and have two boys, ages 5 and 2. While living abroad, Mike travelled and hiked through many parts of China, India, Nepal and Southeast Asia, sparking a love of the outdoors and adventure. In Mumbai, Mike coached basketball for the NBA as a "Junior International Coach" and also for a local high school basketball team.

As his "day job" Mike works as the Vice President of Revenue Operations for a global market research firm but his passion has always been sports. Growing up, Mike played basketball and football competitively but loved to play any kind of game or sport that involved competition. He now channels that passion into running and cycling.

Mike loves coaching and working with kids and looks forward to helping develop them through the BoiseBits program. He strongly believes an active and healthy body helps build confidence and mental strength, two traits that are especially important for young people. Running and hard work can help them “Earn the right to be proud and confident.”- legendary UCLA basketball coach John Wooden.

Amie McBaine, Run Club Coach

Growing up in Idaho, Amie and has always found joy in being active outdoors!  As a life long lover of all types of fitness, Amie knew she needed to find a way to harness this passion and inspire others, which eventually led to her studying kinesiology education at Boise State University.  She is now a certified personal trainer for the last 7 years and has also coached city league soccer for the last 15.  In her spare time, Amie enjoys adventuring in the outdoors with her family.  They find something to do in every season from camping to snowboarding and everything in between.

Amie has competed in many different running and obstacle races both competitively and for fun with her 4 children.  Spartan races are her absolute favorite because she loves the mix of running and tackling the obstacles throughout the race.  These competitions remind her that anyone is capable of doing hard things, which has propelled her to continually seek a variety of challenges in life.  The more she runs & competes, the greater confidence and mindset she discovers.  In addition to her own self growth, Amie volunteers with the Special Olympics and the Miss Amazing organizations to empower people with special abilities to see how truly amazing they are no matter the obstacle that they face.

Amie is committed to educating her own children on the power of mindset through outdoor experiences and is excited to instill the same ideals with children in the Treasure Valley through BoiseBits.  She loves helping kids see that they can work hard while having fun!  Her favorite quote is, “It’s not the will to win that matters — everyone has that. It’s the will to prepare to win that matters.” – Paul Bryant

Sam Fantuzo, Run Club Coach

Sam was born and raised in Huntington Beach, California and in 2019, moved to Boise and gave birth to her son. In Boise, she is a recreational gymnastics coach and coaches a variety of youth sports. In her free time Sam enjoys skateboarding, swimming, playing guitar and reading.  Her current read, “What to Say When you Talk to Yourself”, emphasizes the importance of building a growth mindset through positive self talk.

Growing up, junior lifeguards was a major part of Sam's life and as a teen she became an instructor for over ten years. Lifeguarding is where she discovered her passion for working with youth while promoting health and character development.  She later continued to Chico State to earn degrees in Physical Education and Outdoor Education.  In college she was the vice president of the women’s ultimate Frisbee team and finished three half-marathons. Sam then taught elementary PE, where she was tenured and mentored a student teacher. 

Positive thinking is an essential part of BoiseBits and Sam has seen her own son thrive in the program as a result of its effective curriculum.  She is passionate about fostering meaningful connections in a fun, engaging environment and is thrilled to do that while combining her love of being active outdoors with her own son and other kids to help them begin their journey to a healthy mind and body. Her favorite quote is, “Success isn’t how far you got, but the distance you traveled from where you started.”- Steve Prefontaine

Madeline van Santen, Run Club Coach

Born and raised in San Diego, Madeline moved to Idaho in 2019.  Following in the footsteps of her marathoner Dad, Madeline began her own running “career” in middle school with the 50-meter dash and eventually joined the cross country and track teams. As a college student, Madeline tackled her first half marathon and immediately fell in love with long distance racing.  After college, she joined a competitive women’s running team in San Francisco and qualified for the 2012 Olympic Trials Marathon, participating in the race in Houston. This experience was extremely rewarding because as she set goals for herself, she felt pride and gained confidence each time she worked hard to accomplish them. Since this experience, Madeline has continued to competitively race and currently runs with the Boise Betties.  Many of her miles are run either with her husband or friends in the Boise Foothills or on the Greenbelt with a Double Bob stroller (freeloaders including her son (2) and daughter (5)).

As a school counselor and passionate runner, Madeline knows the importance of taking care of one’s mind through physical activity. Running in the outdoors alongside peers is one of the most life-giving experiences, and Madeline hopes to assist children in this experience as they grow alongside one another, encourage each other to strive for their best and develop a bolder sense of self.

Madeline first experienced BoiseBits’ “I CAN!” attitude when her daughter participated in Fall of 2023. Witnessing the confidence and growth through her daughter, Madeline knew this program was special. Through coaching for BoiseBits, Madeline hopes to pair her deep desire to build and maintain confidence in youth with her contagious joy for running and the outdoors. 

Laney Myers, Run Club Coach

Growing up in Idaho, Laney has always had a passion for being active in the outdoors!  She finds herself most happy when experiencing all the activities that nature has to offer, including mountain biking, hiking, camping, or simply floating down the Boise river.  Also, a competitive athlete in high school, Laney plays soccer, lacrosse, and volleyball, all of which have taught her importance of a positive mindset and hard work.  She is also extremely passionate about the importance of movement in regards to wellness, both physical and mental.

Having years of experience working with children, Laney is excited for the opportunity to use her mentoring skills in a coaching capacity for BoiseBits!  She is eager about teaching young kids the importance of moving their bodies and being confident in all that they do.  She also strives to help them recognize that when faced with a challenge, to never give up and use a positive mindset to continue moving forward!

Laney is vivacious, intrepid, and loves teaching kids how to overcome challenges and obstacles AND believes that every child is STRONG, POWERFUL, and MIGHTY.  Her goal at BoiseBits is to empower young kids so they will be ready for whatever life throws at them.  Her favorite quote is “Tough times never last but tough people do”- Robert Schuller

Oliver Munch, Run Club Coach

Growing up in Boise, Oliver was always an active kid with more energy than he knew what to do with! In his elementary and junior high days, he competed in multiple sports such as soccer, basketball, football, track, and t-ball.  He also competed in the Hershey's Idaho State track meet in Rexburg. In High School, Oliver continued with 3 varsity sports: football, basketball, and track.  Being outside and active always helped him get his overflowing energy out, but more importantly, gain confidence both in sports and the real world.

After graduating in 2017 from Boise High, Oliver received a scholarship to play football at Rocky Mountain College in Billings Montana. After 3 years at Rocky, Covid hit and he moved back to Boise.  Oliver is currently planning to finish his education and get a degree from BSU.  In addition to staying active outdoors and coaching for BoiseBits, Oliver is a high school basketball and football referee. This past season, he reffed over 150 high school basketball games, including the semifinals of the 2A girls district championships. He also refs basketball tournaments on weekends in the summer where he reaches up to 30 games in a weekend, so staying active and fit is a must!

Oliver loves working kids and is excited to be part of the BoiseBits team, not only to teach kids the importance of a strong mindset, but to have a fun time doing it!  As his mentor and our very own BoiseBits Coach Willie says, "The kids just want a grown up to play games and have fun with them! And let's teach them to believe in themselves and learn the importance of hard work along the way!"

Emme Munch, Run Club Coach

Emme was born and raised in Boise and is a lover of all things movement. Her sports journey started out in elementary and middle school with running, swimming and basketball, which  eventually led to playing on the Boise High Varsity Basketball team for 3 years. When she wasn’t training, she assisted Run Club classes for BoiseBits for the past 2 years.  In fact, both her brother, Ollie and mom, Allysa, are part of the BoiseBits team!  Next fall, Emme will be playing basketball at the University of Minnesota Crookston.

Emme believes life lessons and sports go hand-in hand. Sports have instilled in her perseverance, persistence, resilience and a strong sense of teamwork.  While primarily a basketball player, she is a self described advocate for all things that involve movement. All sports strengthen the mind and body in a different way and over the years Emme has grown a special attachment to her extracurriculars of running, hiking or biking.

Emme is passionate about fostering meaningful connections in a fun, engaging environment. She stands behind our BoiseBits motto, “You can do hard things” and is excited to help littles realize their potential in order to best tackle their dreams and aspirations in life!  She is thrilled to do that while combining her love of being active outdoors. Her favorite quote is, "Nothing is Impossible. The word itself says "I'm Possible!" -Audrey Hepburn

Indi Bates, Run Club Coach

Indi was born in Gunnison, Colarado to what she describes as "an outdoor enthusiastic family!"  As a small child she was rarely inside, typically riding bikes, running, climbing trees or creating something from nature.  These roots helped grow an appreciation of being active, which continued when her family moved to Oregon where she played softball, tennis, year-round soccer and was on the swim team.  Now as mother, Indi instills the same passion and appreciation of the benefits of being active outdoors with her own two children, Lily and Myles.  

Indi's love for working with kids started when she was a babysitter for the families in her neighborhood, and during college, when she was a lifeguard, private swim instructor and nanny.  Indi ultimately graduated with a degree in Fashion Merchandising and enjoyed an 18-year career in the Corporate World before becoming a stay-at-home mom.  Now with a focus on her own family, she is passionate about their wellness journey and recently relocated to Boise to be near cousins and grandparents.  Living in Boise has created a love for paddle boarding, mountain biking, hiking, kickboxing and volunteering at her kids' schools.

Indi is passionate about fostering meaningful connections between being outdoors, moving the body and always challenging yourself to grow.  She is excited to be a part of a group that inspires young minds to do their best every single day!  Her favorite quote is,  “You are never too old to set another goal or to dream a new dream." -Malala Yousafzai

Merissa Amburgey, Run Club Coach

 Merissa spent most of her childhood between both Colorado and Oregon, but has been proud to call Idaho home since 2015.  Growing up, Merissa found her love for sports and movement through competitive gymnastics and transitioned to team sports around middle school. She played volleyball, basketball, and soccer throughout high school, but it wasn’t until post college that Merissa found her love for running. After discovering both the mental and physical benefits it brought to her, she became immersed in the hobby, and has since completed two half marathons. In addition to running, Merissa loves all things outdoors, especially hiking, mountain biking, and downhill/cross country skiing, preferably in the company of her husband and two year old daughter.

Merissa graduated with a degree in Elementary Education in 2017, and proceeded to teach middle school English for five years after graduation. During this time, she also completed her M.Ed in Learning and Technology as well as completed her certificate to become a Certified Health Coach through the Institute for Integrative Nutrition. In 2021, Merissa welcomed her first daughter to the world and took a step away from her teaching career. Since then, Merissa has also received her Certified Personal Training accreditation.

Merissa is a firm believer in the power of movement, fueling your body with nourishing foods, and being outdoors, and strives to share these passions with others. She is excited to combine both her love for fitness and her heart for teaching kids through coaching classes with Boise Bits. Her favorite quote is: “The day you plant the seed is not the day you eat the fruit.”

Dylan Woffington, Run Club Coach

Dylan was born and raised in Boise and never found a reason to leave with all the outdoor activities it has to offer!  Growing up she always had a love for running, nature and being active; and it served as the perfect backdrop for these passions.  While primarily a runner as a child and in college, she recently got into cycling as a means to keep her body moving in a different way.  Graduating from Boise State University in 2015, she now spends her days doing accounting for a large healthcare facility.  However, once out of the office, she and her husband enjoy taking their two kids to the Greenbelt, as well exploring the foothills and going on hikes.

Dylan has competed in several running races ranging from 5ks to 30ks.  She says that these events motivate and inspire her to continually challenge herself.  She believes that completing any challenge helps foster a greater sense of confidence and she now plans to compete in marathons.  Fitness helps her mental health, and she hopes to instill that value in her own children and give other children that outlet in this busy life.

Dylan is thrilled to be a part of the BoiseBits team where she can help cultivate an environment where children can learn, be comfortable with themselves and discover a passion for running and being active!  “People often say that motivation doesn’t last. Well, neither does bathing – that’s why we recommend it daily.” ~ Zig Ziglar

Jordyn Catandella, Run Club Coach

 Jordyn was born in Honolulu, Hawaii but primarily raised in Hillsboro, Oregon settling to Meridian, Idaho in 2019. Jordyn received her bachelors degree in Early Childhood Education at Concordia University in Portland and currently works as a part time Independent Intervention Specialist, serving children from many different neurodivergent backgrounds. Jordyn is also a full time mom to a 2 year old active toddler girl and 1 year old twins girls! Jordyn grew up playing competitive sports such as softball and volleyball, and even played competitive softball in college before transferring to Concordia University. Jordyn has always had a heart for sports and staying active and hopes to inspire her own children and children she will help coach to love the competitive yet exciting nature of sports!

On her free time Jordyn enjoys hiking the Boise Foothills, Paddle boarding at Lucky Peak, playing outfield for her co-Ed softball team in Nampa, playing setter for her co-Ed team in Meridian and exploring all the different wonderful parks with her three children and husband of 5 years!

Through BoiseBits, Jordyn hopes to use her educational experience to help encourage children from all different kinds of backgrounds and learning abilities to come together and enjoy being active in a fun and safe environment. Jordyn hopes to teach the importance of teamwork and empowering one another on the team and also anywhere off the team as well. She wants to help cultivate a positive outlook on running and creating healthy habits from the get go. Her favorite quote is a common quote spoken in Hawaii, “If Can, Can.. If No Can, Still Can.”

Jenny Brower, Run Club Coach

Jenny was born in Denver, Colorado and moved to Idaho when she was 10 years old. Throughout childhood she played several sports but focused on competitive soccer through high school. She graduated from BSU with a BA in Elementary Education and was a fourth grade teacher for 12 years before deciding to stay home with her active 3.5-year-old son.  In her free time, Jenny loves exploring Idaho’s great outdoors with her husband, son, and black lab.  Her love for outdoor adventure has always maintained a spot in her life and ensures that she is always dedicating time to outdoor experiences!

Jenny loves to encourage the joy of movement in everyday activities.  After college, Jenny taught herself to become a long-distance runner which inspired her to enjoy moving outside even more through backpacking, hiking, skiing, and paddleboarding.  She has run three half-marathons and half a dozen 10k’s! 

Through BoiseBits, Jenny hopes to help children become life long lovers of movement and believes that every child should be given the space and empowerment to love and care for themselves through a positive mindset. Her favorite quote is, “We don’t stop playing because we grow old; we grow old because we stop playing.” George Bernard Shaw

Deaven Peacock, Run Club Coach

Born and raised in California, Deaven relocated to Meridian in 2022 with her then three year old daughter. Growing up in an extreme outdoor sports-enthused family, she has always had a passion for motocross, surfing, and biking. A Jacqueline of all trades, she has also dabbled in golf, tennis, basketball, and would live in the water if she could!  And now, with her "side kick" daughter, they are constantly seeking adventure.  Whether on a hike, practicing yoga, or swimming and paddle boarding at Lucky Peak, Deaven strives to connect mind and body.

Deaven received her Bachelor's in Psychology and later earned her Masters in Education and PPS in School Counseling.  This background in education led her to working at elementary and middle schools implementing mental and physical health education programs for students.  Now working for the State of Idaho, Deaven prioritizes providing her daughter with life experiences centered around healthy, happy and positive active living.  She finds that children thrive when offered opportunities to marry their love for excitement and laughter with their need to run, jump and move around.  And there is no better way to honor yourself. 

Deaven says that "Boise Bits is a wonderful opportunity for kids in the area to get outside, meet new friends, learn to work as a team, manage small responsibilities and gain confidence in their flourishing abilities".  Her favorite quote to live by is, "Life should not be a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside in a cloud of smoke, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming "Wow! What a Ride!"" - Hunter S. Thompson.

Daniel Avery, Run Club Coach

Daniel was born and raised in Boise Idaho, which naturally led to a love of being active and outdoors.  His favorite hobbies are skiing, mountain biking, and hiking and he has a natural drive to constantly experience and learn new things.  Currently, Daniel competes for the Centennial High Cross Country team, through which he has learned to be a dependable, motivated and resilient team player, while also learning the importance of self-discipline and commitment.

Appreciating the value of hard work, Daniel is part of a program that allows him to take community college classes for his senior year. He is working towards his AA majoring in business and is planning on transferring to BSU and majoring in Electrical Engineering. Knowing that BSU's engineering course is notorious for being difficult, he is ready for the challenge and says,  "I am going to take head-on!"  He also has several of years of experience working with kids at both summer youth camps and at Church where he has used his enthusiastic attitude to encourage kids to harness a positive mindset towards any challenges they face.

Through BoiseBits Daniel looks forward to continue helping kids develop their mindsets and to learn to depend on each other like his Cross Country team. His favorite quote is "Believe you can, and you're halfway there" -Theodore Roosevelt.

Christina Shimmel, Run Club Coach

Born and raised in Santa Cruz, California, Christina grew up enjoying anything in the coastal outdoors.  As a child, she competed in the international equestrian association but later discovered a passion for running as it helped foster a feeling of strength and confidence.  After high school, Christina continued her studies at Capernwray, New Zealand and ultimately landed away for the ocean and moved to Boise in 2019.  Here she enjoys spending her free time hiking and running in the beautiful Boise foothills and exploring the vast local trails. 

Since college, Christina has dedicated herself to childhood education.  She currently works at Lakewood Montessori School in Boise, and previously spent several years as a swim coach and teaching ocean safety in Santa Cruz.  She has been an avid runner since high school, where she ran Varsity hurdles and cross country and since then has run several 5ks, 10ks, and half marathons.  Christina is currently working towards a full marathon and believes that if something doesn't challenge you, it won't change you!.

Christina loves teaching children to have patience not only with each other, but with themselves. She believes that children can learn to do most everything, without the help of adults, so long as they believe in themselves!  Her favorite quote is, "Life is a Journey to be experienced, not a problem to be solved" - Winnie the Pooh

Whitney Curtis, Run Club & YogiBits Coach

After relocating 8 times over 11 years for schooling, residency and the military, Whitney and her family moved to Meridian in 2020.    She and her husband are thrilled to finally put down roots in Idaho, which they consider the ideal environment to raise their 3 active and outdoorsy kids!   Together they enjoy most anything and everything that Idaho has to offer!

Whitney has always had a passion for working with and serving young children.  For many years, she volunteered at multiple hospitals assisting with the child life specialists.  In addition, Whitney has completed humanitarian trips working in orphanages, one of which included living in Uganda.  She has also volunteered in several church and community children's programs and finds joy helping kids gain mindfulness and confidence in all aspects of their lives.

For the last 15 years, Whitney has found yoga to be a "safe haven" for life challenges.  She became a certified Trauma-informed Children’s and teens yoga instructor due to the fact that her oldest child has experienced medical difficulties and wanted to give her daughter tools to navigate her medical trauma and anxieties.  After witnessing the benefits of yoga in her daughter, she decided to help other children experiencing trauma, stresses or anxieties of their own and help them find their own "safe haven" through yoga! Her favorite quote is, "When you own your breath, nobody can steal your peace!" - Unknown

Alyssa Goade-Munch, YogiBits Coach

A former elementary school teacher, Alyssa has over 30 years of experience as a physical educator, ACE certified group exercise coach and personal trainer.  Most recently, for the last 11 years, Alyssa has been a Girls on the Run Coach, inspiring and empowering girls to become confident and make the important connection between emotional and physical health.  During this time, Alyssa was also nominated as Idaho elementary teacher of the year!  Alyssa is the proud mom of three athletic kids, two of which are in college and one at Boise High School.

In the last few years of her teaching career at ANSER Charter School, Alyssa started a kid's yoga and mindfulness program that focused on breath, senses, reading education, and concentration techniques that was not only fun but inspiring and empowering!  Alyssa is a huge advocate of moving and not being the best in class.   Starting and finishing are the important goals she values as they foster a powerful mindset in all aspects of life.  Alyssa believes that yoga provides the ultimate activity to develop this growth mindset and has shared this passion and knowledge at the state conference for PE teachers into incorporate yoga in their curriculum. 

Alyssa believes that every child, every human, should be given the space and empowerment to love and care for themselves through mindfulness and movement.  Her favorite quote is, “What you think you become, what you feel you attract, what you imagine, you create.” -Buddha

Maria Konan, YogiBits Coach

Born and raised in Belarus, Eastern Europe, Maria has always been passionate about physical activity!  As a youth, she practiced dancing, shaping, taekwondo, basketball and was one of the founders of Belarusian Ringo Federation - an amateur sports game originated in Poland.  As someone keen on foreign cultures, Maria graduated from a linguistic university and taught English to children and adults and later worked as a school teacher and tutor.  In 2018 she gave birth to her second child and left Belarus. Since then she lived in the US and Asia and settled in Idaho in October 2021. Here, she and her family fell in love with the nature and peaceful way of life, and they hope to stay for many more years.

Maria came to yoga at the beginning of 2020 when she lived in Singapore and was struggling with the challenges of big city life and pandemic restrictions. There she met Indian teachers who had received their knowledge in Himalayas and taught yoga in the most authentic and holistic way. Maria completed her 200 hours teaching training and has never stopped deepening her knowledge of this ancient science. 

Maria thinks of a human body as a temple and believes cultivating bodily awareness is the first step to a happy, healthy life.  She loves teaching yoga to kids both her own and others, as she's sure it can give them tools to approach life in a more balanced way.  Her favorite quote is, “Yoga does not just change the way we see things, it transforms the person who sees.”  - B.K.S Iyengar

Hazuki Crook, YogiBits Coach

Born and raised in Japan, Hazuki moved to Boise to study Psychology in 1997.  First taking a yoga class as an elective while getting a Bachelor's degree in Psychology from BSU, she immediately became hooked and has practiced to maintain her physical and emotional wellness since then.  After graduating, Hazuki worked as an academic tutor at an elementary school through AmeriCorps and quickly recognized she would like to continue working with children and went back to earn her Master’s degree in Counseling. Since then, she has worked as a school counselor as well as a mental health counselor in the Treasure Valley.

Valuing whole person perspective, she completed her 200 yoga teacher training in March 2020 and is currently working on a Children’s Yoga teacher certification, hoping to help make mindfulness through yoga more accessible to children and teens.  Hazuki is passionate about coaching young kids to move their bodies and be confident in everything they do.  She helps them recognize that even when faced with a challenge, to never give up and use a positive mindset to continue moving forward and believes yoga is an ideal medium to teach this.

Hazuki believes that all people are capable of achieving difficult things through empowerment of the mind and body.  She also believes that ANY child, no matter how big or small, can achieve great things as long as they dedicate their heart and mind to any obstacle they face.  Hazuki's favorite quote is, “Strive not to be a success, but rather to be of value” - Albert Einstein.

Karen Hammer, YogiBits Coach

Karen is a former 2nd grade teacher and a mom of two elementary aged children.  Born and raised in California, she received a BA in English Literature from UCSB and an Elementary Education Teaching Credential from California State University.  Karen’s love of sports began at a young age with swimming, volleyball, and earning a black belt in karate, and evolved into marathon running as an adult. She views movement as the best form of medicine!

Moving to Boise in 2012, Karen turned to yoga as a supplement to running and a means to quiet her ever-racing mind. Years of home practice led her to desire to learn more about the empowering and calming qualities of yoga. She has a 200 RYT (Registered Yoga Teacher) certification and is in the process of earning an additional 300 RYT certification with an emphasis in teaching children. When she’s not studying and practicing yoga, she enjoys teaching art to her son’s Kindergarten class and co-coaching her daughter’s soccer team.

Karen believes that anybody can practice yoga, and that through the joyful exploration of the body, mind, and breath we can develop skills that foster a deep trust in our intuition, create inner calm and enhance physical strength. Her favorite quote is, “If you seek peace, be still. If you seek wisdom, be silent. If you seek love, be yourself.” - Becca Lee.